The rock-cut tombs of Qau el-Kebir are the largest private
monuments of the Middle Kingdom (about 2025-1700 BC). The tombs are heavily
destroyed, but the finds show that the decoration and equipment of the tombs
must have been of the highest quality (reliefs, statues, sarcophagi). Through
the destruction and through the repetition of names (Wah-ka, Ibu) the succession
of the tomb owners is still under discussion, but the larger tombs clearly
date to the Twelfth Dynasty. The dating of the latest tomb is of importance
for understanding developments at the end of the Twelfth Dynasty in the Egyptian
provinces. At other places the rock-cut tombs of the governors disappear under
Senusret III. Steckeweh
1936: 8 presented evidence (a stela with the name of Amenemhat
III and the name of Wah-ka II) to date Wah-ka
II (who owns the biggest tomb of all) under this king.